Following a Long History: Folgers Coffee Pods

We’ve all heard of Folgers coffee. After all it’s been around for as long as anyone can remember, and it’s always been a favorite with coffee drinkers everywhere. That’s because this coffee company that’s been around over a century and a half has continued to change with the times in order to remain a front-runner in the coffee field. From its humble roots in post-gold rush California to the newest trends of the 21st century, Folgers has worked to remain as one of the largest coffee companies in the world. Now, as it embarks on new ventures, such as Folgers coffee pods, this company shows us that it plans on being a player on the world stage for many years to come.

Back during the California Gold Rush in 1849, a man named James Folger left his home on Nantucket to go to the gold fields with his two older brothers. After arriving in San Francisco in April, 1850, he decided that he’d rather work for the high wages being offered in town than to go out to the gold fields. After working for ten years to help rebuild San Francisco buildings that kept getting burned down, he decided to start the J.A. Folger  Coffee Company.  The company was family-run until being purchased by Proctor & Gamble in 1963 and sold to the J.M. Smucker Company in 2008. Through all of the transitions over the years, the company has maintained a quality profile through its use of TV advertising.

Prior to the advent of coffee pods and drip coffee makers, coffee making was the simple process of boiling hot water with roasted coffee beans. Although this sounds pretty archaic to us now, it worked for hundreds of years. Through the eras of drip coffee makers, percolators, and vacuum brewers, Folgers continued to make changes in and add to their product line. Now after 40 years of electric drip coffee makers, with the 1-serving pod coffee brewers set to take over the market, Folgers has continued to change with the times. They currently offer 4 different varieties of Folgers coffee pods: Classic Roast, Classic Decaf, 100% Colombian, and French Vanilla.